You look fine on the outside. But you don't feel fine. You're function well, but you feel disconnected, exhausted or stuck. Together, we explore what needs attention, change or reconnection.
Hello and welcome!
I’m Elise, a coach and licensed non-medical practitioner for psychotherapy based in Hamburg.
Many of the people I work with identify with what is often described as high-functioning depression: They continue to function, achieve, and care for others while struggling with emotional numbness, loss of joy, or a growing sense that they are no longer fully participating in their own life.
My own path into this work wasn't exactly a straight line, and perhaps that's one reason I feel drawn to it.
I know what it is like to keep functioning while something on the inside quietly (or loudly) asks for attention.
My work sits at the intersection of coaching and therapy ⎸ Sessions in English and German ⎸ Online or in person in Hamburg ⎸ warm & gently bold.
I am a runner, part of a book club, a poodle lover, and I adore my family.
If you've made it this far, chances are something here resonated.
You may be wondering what working together actually looks like, what approach I use, what we might talk about, or how often we would meet. You'll find some answers below.
👉How do I work?
I offer a compassionate and non-judgmental space where people can speak, feel, find their own answers, and feel seen and heard.
I draw from different approaches, including cognitive-behavioral models, somatic work, body awareness, Focusing, and working with emotions as they arise.
A central part of my work is helping you connect what you think, what you feel, and how you act. My approach is structured, but not rigid and I don’t offer quick fixes or ready-made solutions. Change, in my experience, happens when understanding becomes embodied — when it begins to influence how you act, decide, and relate in situations that once felt automatic. One step at time.
👉Who do I often work with?
Many of the people I work with are the ones others turn to for support, guidance or care: Therapists, coaches, healthcare professionals, pastors, educators and leaders. People whose work is meaningful to them, but often comes at a cost.
👉What can we work on together?
Attention ▷ Pressing the pause button. ▷ Listening to what asks for attention. ▷ Becoming curious about what lies underneath.
Allowing ▷ Allowing yourself to feel, need, rest, grieve, or not know. ▷ Making space for emotions instead of pushing through them. ▷ Learning to stay with your experience rather than busying yourself.
Alignment ▷ Reconnecting with yourself when functioning has become your default. ▷ Remembering what matters to you. ▷ Creating change that feels meaningful, sustainable, and your own.
Many who come to me are thoughtful, capable, and reflective. Often, they already understand themselves on a cognitive level and are looking for a space to explore their patterns, emotions, and relationships more deeply.
👉What can I expect from our first conversation?
First of all, your time, energy, and individual process matter most to me.
Our first conversation is a chance to slow down and make sense of what's bringing you here. We'll explore what feels difficult, stuck, confusing, or important at the moment, and what support you might be looking for. We'll also talk about any previous experience you've had with coaching or therapy and whether there are particular hopes, questions, or concerns you bring into the process.
I'll share a bit about how I work, and together we'll explore whether working together feels like a good fit.
Free, confidential support is available 24/7. *
My life experience shapes the way I approach this work. I understand both the need for structure and the uncertainty that can arise when things begin to shift — internally and externally.
Before moving into coaching and therapeutic work, I spent over two decades in a client-based profession, working closely with people in everyday life.
I started in a hands-on field, completed my bachelor-level professional qualification, and built a successful business early on. Over time, my focus gradually shifted toward what drives us internally: how we relate to ourselves, what keeps us stuck, and what helps us live with greater honesty and freedom?
Certifications: 2026 Licensed practitioner for psychotherapy (Heilpraktikerin, limited to psychotherapy), Hamburg
2021 Life & Business Coach Cognitive, emotional & behavioral approach The Life Coach School, USA
2020 Facilitator & Team Coach Institute for Facilitation, Berlin
2010 Master craftswoman / Bachelor Professional ELBCAMPUS, Hamburg
Trainings: since 2024 Train the Trainer ELBCAMPUS, Hamburg
since 2023 Managing Emotions Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
2021 & 2026 Somatic Intelligence & Embodiment Gabriella von Kruse, Berlin
2022 Embodied Facilitation Facilitation Academy, Berlin